Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed launches the Smart Mission project

The UAE has taken the lead in innovation and technology once again with the launch of the "Smart Mission" project, a ground-breaking initiative that aims to provide customers with a simple and comprehensive services process at the country's embassies around the world.

This is the world's first project of its kind, and it demonstrates the UAE's commitment to excellence in all aspects of governance and public service.

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, initiated the project. It is in line with the UAE's Year of Sustainability and the "We the UAE 2031" vision, and is intended to aid in the achievement of the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, the Principles of the 50, and the UAE Strategy for Government Services 2021 to 2025.

One of the most striking aspects of the Smart Mission project is the use of facial recognition technology to verify customers' identities and streamline the services process, improving overall customer experience and satisfaction.

Where the hologram comes in

The programme launched in Seoul, South Korea, the first site in a network designed to give UAE citizens consular services around the clock through holographic presence rather than a counter clerk. A traveller walks into the Smart Mission booth, is greeted by a life-size hologram of a consular agent, and is guided through identity verification, document services and the routine requests that used to need an appointment within embassy office hours.

Consular interactions are high-trust by nature. An agent at life size, with eye contact and body language intact, carries the formality of an in-person meeting in a way a flat video call does not. Combined with multilingual AI support and biometric identity verification, the booth gives a complete first-line consular experience without staffing a 24-hour desk in every host country.

Another important aspect is the integration of various government services, such as visa and residency applications, document authentication, and legal services. This makes the process more convenient for customers and reduces the time and effort required to complete these tasks.

The Smart Mission project represents a significant step forward for the UAE in providing cutting-edge public services tailored to customers' needs, an example of excellence with far-reaching implications for customers, the government, and the country as a whole.